Nutter's body was found by a girl who was walking her dog in the brush on the east side of Frontage Road near Old Glenview and Briar, which is close to the Edens Expressway, Monday around 8:30 p.m. Police say Nutter's body had "obvious signs of trauma" including cuts to his face and torso. The mother of the girl who found him tells ABC 7 it appeared his leg was broken and a branch was covering his face.
Nutter was identified by fingerprints, police said. Detectives spent much of the day searching the family home in Highland Park. Tuesday evening, their crime tape was replaced with a note from the family requesting privacy as visitors arrived to share their grief.
"Horrifying. Just horrifying. I don't even have words for it. It just doesn't happen around here," Sarah Weissman, victim's neighbor, said. "I was recently talking with his mom. She was walking her dog just a couple days ago. They're lovely people. They're no different than all of us."
Liz Weissman grew up with Nutter.
She says this past weekend his mom talked about her son's summer plans.
"She told us he had a job for the summer here so I'm guessing he was staying at home," said Weissman.
ABC7's Ben Bradley asks, "So, no problems?"
"She seemed really normal," said Weissman.
Nutter's home is about nine miles from where his body was found near the expressway.
"It's a very safe area. You don't expect this to happen here in Skokie-Wilmette," Jim Szczesniak said.
Last month the victim's family home was burglarized and someone swiped an iPad. Police arrested three teens. They're not saying if they think that's connected to Colin Nutter's death.
Tami Gilbert lives next door.
"I know lately there's been a lot of activity. They've been coming in and out, late at night, after midnight," said Gilbert.
Officials will conduct an autopsy Wednesday. The case is classified as a homicide but the cause of death has not yet been determined.
Anyone with information should call Wilmette police at 847 256-1200 or the North Regional Major Crimes Task Force at 847 853-7580.
